Alternative Options to Earn Your High School Diploma or GED
If you are looking to complete your secondary education outside of the traditional Seattle Public Schools system, several excellent pathways are available through local colleges and community partnerships. These programs are grouped below by their primary target audience. Specific questions related to these options should be addressed directly to the program. This is not an exhaustive list and is accurate as of 10/8/2026.
Programs for Youth and Older Teens (Ages 16–24)
- Overview: A high school completion program for students who no longer attend traditional high school. It focuses on academic skills, personal development, and diploma progress, while smoothing the transition to post-secondary education.
- Eligibility: Ages 16 to 21.
- Partnership: South Seattle College and the Highline School District.
- Contact: Visit the website or call 206.934.7946.
High School Completion Plus (HSCP)
- Overview: Allows students to take regular college classes that simultaneously fulfill high school graduation requirements and grant college credits.
- Eligibility: Students ages 16 and older.
- Partnership: Offered through Seattle Colleges International Programs.
- Overview: Centers providing individualized instruction to help youth earn a GED or successfully transition directly into career training.
- Eligibility: Youth ages 16 through 24.
- Partnership: Run in partnership with local community colleges, including Seattle Central College and Shoreline Community College.
- Overview: A tuition-free program providing GED preparation, one-on-one academic advocacy, case management, and college classes leading toward an associate degree.
- Eligibility: Eligible youth ages 16 to 21.
- Partnership: Operated via partnerships like Learning Center Seattle at Seattle Central College.
Programs for Adults (Ages 18+)
High School+ & High School Completion
- Overview: Programs designed to grant an official Washington State high school diploma by evaluating and utilizing your past life experience or college-level coursework.
- Eligibility: Adults and older teens, typically ages 18 and older.
- Overview: A program allowing students to earn high school credit by completing coursework in the Basic and Transitional Studies division. Graduates earn an actual diploma rather than a GED.
- Eligibility: Adults ages 21 and older who lack a high school diploma.
- Contact: Visit the website or call 206.934.5363.
North Seattle College High School Completion
- Overview: Provides an opportunity to finish your secondary education and earn a standard high school diploma directly within a collegiate campus setting.
- Eligibility: Adults ages 19 years or older.
GED® Preparation and Testing
Adult Basic Education / General Education Development (ABE/GED)
- Overview: A dedicated campus resource for those ready to finish their secondary school education, prepare for the GED, or brush up on fundamental academic skills.
- Location: North Seattle College (NSC).
GED® Prep (South Seattle College)
- Overview: Offers prep classes to improve academic skills and prepare for the official exams. The final GED® certificate demonstrates an education level equivalent to a high school diploma.
- Eligibility: Anyone ages 16 and older.
- Contact: Visit the website or call 206.934.5363.
GED Preparation & Testing (Seattle Central)
- Overview: Area colleges offer flexible day, evening, and online classes to prepare for the four-part GED test.
- Eligibility: Students must be 16 years old or older to take GED® classes at Seattle Central. If you are under 19 years old and haven’t graduated from high school, you will need a release form from the school district. However, for students 16-21, we recommend Learning Center Seattle.
- Cost Example: charges a low $25-per-quarter fee for GED classes and provides free test vouchers to students.